Objective: To assess patient attitudes, reactions, and motivations resulting from living with T1D.
Methods: Between Sep 10th-Oct 21st, 2018, a representative sample of United States patients (n=600, 56% male, mean age 40.6 years, managing their T1D with multiple daily injections (MDI) or insulin pump therapy completed a 102-question online survey (5- or 7-point Likert scale) designed by Inspired Insight (Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.) in partnership with Medtronic. Respondent sample was identified and screened with standard methods. Analyses were conducted using Pearson’s correlation and quadratic equation modeling.
Results: The survey showed that 58% of the respondents reported their disease as severe. Since the time of diagnosis, 44% of the individuals reported that living with diabetes has had a positive impact on their life, while 41% reported that it has had a negative impact on their life. Those respondents who felt that living with the disease negatively impacted their life, reported that the negative aspects were related to self-confidence (59%), achieving emotional wellbeing (58%), and the ability to be happy/optimistic (57%). Interestingly, those respondents who felt that living with the disease has positively impacted their life, reported that the positive aspects were related to having self-confidence (81%), being physically fit/active (80%), and achieving emotional wellbeing (80%).
Conclusions: Though the majority of patients who were assessed recognized the severity of their disease, they were polarized when it came to reporting how living with diabetes has impacted their life. Some found that their self-confidence and emotional wellbeing were positively impacted, while a proportionate number felt the opposite.
J. Alford: Employee; Self; Medtronic. M. Koobatian: Employee; Self; Medtronic. B. Daigle: Research Support; Self; Medtronic MiniMed, Inc. K. Mathews: Other Relationship; Self; Medtronic. L. Dias: Employee; Self; Medtronic.
